First Literary Publication
Dartmouth "Literary Tablet" of 1803 Was First College Periodical of Kind Published
BY A CURIOUS COINCIDENCE Dartmouth and Harvard, among American colleges, share the honor of being earliest in the field of literary publications.
The first suggestion of a publication came from Harvard in 1779, when Sidney Willard, then corresponding secretary of the Alpha of Massachusetts of the Phi Beta Kappa, proposed to the Alphas at Yale and at Dartmouth that they join in the support of a "periodical publication," by sending contributions for its pages, and securing subscriptions. Plans matured slowly. Two years later a name was selected The Literary Miscellany—and the support of the Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard was secured, a group of earnest members agreeing to assist the editor, Mr. Willard, who had become librarian of the College.
However, the projectors decided not to announce that the Phi Beta Kappa was sponsoring the publication. William Hilliard, a printer at Cambridge, assumed responsibility for all subscriptions, and contributions were to be sent through him. When the proposal reached Hanover, Moses Davis, the publisher of the Dartmouth Gazette, a weekly in no way connected with the College, concluded to issue a bi-monthly, which he named The Literary Tablet, the first number bearing the date: Hanover, August 6, 1803. Its initial article addressed "To the Public" makes clear the purpose of "the Publisher" to endeavor
" to promote the increase of literature in this portion of a country, which has already advanced to a state of refinement excelled by none of the nations of the eastern continent.
"The Proprietor has engaged in the editorial department, a person who promises but little original matter, but will devote the few leisure hours he can steal from professional pursuits and necessary avocations to a selection for The Tablet, which shall be interesting, pleasing and instructive.
"Essayists and others, who feel an interest in the promotion of the cause in which we are engaged, are requested to furnish us with communications, containing their ideas on any subject, relating either to Morality, General Literature, History, Biography, The Fine Arts, or Agriculture."
This was not signed, but on the concluding page was this legend:
HANOVER, N. H. PUBLISHED EVERY OTHER SATURDAY BY M. DAVIS Price one dollar per year-sot in advance
Thus was issued in Hanover the first number of the first literary periodical to be published at an American college. In form it was about the size of the old Literary Digest, printed in small type, three columns to the page. No clue to the editor of the first volume has been discovered.
Number 1 of Volume II bears date of September 19, 1804, and "By Nicholas Orlando" appears under the title, and as the author of the address "To the Public."
The identity of "Nicholas Orlando" remains to be revealed. He continued in the editorial chair for two years, though directing its publication from a distance during the concluding four months. On retiring he felicitated himself in that he had
"....adopted the Tablet when it was an orphan child, cast on the world, unaided and forlorn. Without the liberal contributions of Genius and Wealth it must have perished in early infancy.
"Fostered by the friends of literature and religion, it has survived its tenderest childhood.It is still in a feeble state; but we hope, thatunremited exertions will enable it to pass itsyouthful years, reach a vigorous manhood,and go down to the grave in a venerable oldage."
Moses Davis still cherished the hope that his Tablet would succeed, and during the following year, the fourth of his venture, he was aided editorially by two gentlemen, neither of whom had the hardihood to place their names to the masthead. They could and did join, in appeals for financial support, with the publisher, who on one occasion admitted that "our expenditures have been considerable, our income small; and we do humbly wish, that what is honestly our due, may no longer be withheld."
That the end was near because of lack of income was intimated by the last literary Hanoverian who occupied the editorial chair, for he wrote:
"If, however, by the desultory effusions of those few idle moments, in which he could withdraw himself from the multifarious cares and perplexities of a laborious employment ....he has gathered anything which could amuse or instruct,.. . .he may at least boast as much as some of his brethren in the numerous army of ephemeral editors."
Then, with the issue of August 5, 1807, The Literary Tablet ceased, not however until a title page and Table of Contents for the volume had been prepared. Lack of financial returns was the main cause. Moses Davis could not be expected to continue to face deficits with equanimity. To his honor, be it said, he persisted through four years to publish The Literary Tablet, continuing it a year after The Literary Miscellany had succumbed. With the aid of four unknown editorial assistants, evidendy men of Dartmouth College, he has the honor of having maintained the first literary periodical to be published at an American college.
The above article was written for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE by the late Oscar M.Voorhees, historian of Phi Beta Kappa.
